Opioid prescribing reports

The Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) opioid prescribing reports compare prescribers’ opioid prescribing rates to the average rates of their specialty peers. The goal of sharing individual and comparative prescribing data with providers is to support self reflection and quality improvement.

The opioid prescribing reports include data for seven sentinel opioid prescribing measures. These seven measures assess individual prescribing behavior in the acute, post-acute and chronic pain phases. DHS and the Opioid Prescribing Work Group developed the measures through careful analysis of Minnesota Medicaid and MinnesotaCare prescription data and considering national measures.

Comprehensive information about the DHS opioid prescribing reports and the measures are available in this section. Additional references include the following:

Please email questions to DHS at dhs.opioid@state.mn.us. Allow 2-3 business days for a response.

Report timeline
Reports are distributed to prescribers via their health system or through the U.S. Postal Service to the public address on file with licensing boards. The following is a list of the measurement periods and report cycles:
- Summer 2019 - report issued for January 2018 through December 2018 data
- January 2020 - report issued for October 2018 through September 2019 data
- April 2021- report issued for January 2020 through December 2020 data
- April 2022 – report issued for January 2021 through December 2021 data
The reports issued in April of 2022 will determine whether providers are required to engage in mandatory quality improvement (QI) with DHS in 2022. Visit the DHS Opioid Prescribing Improvement Program webpage for more information about the QI program.

Providers who did not receive a report can request one from DHS at dhs.opioid@state.mn.us.
Opioid Prescribing Improvement Program (OPIP) status and continuing education requirements

Effective Jan. 1, 2020, all health care licensees who have the authority to prescribe controlled substances must obtain two hours of continuing education credits between Jan. 1, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2022. Health care providers who participate in OPIP are exempt from the requirement. Providers are considered OPIP participants if they received a 2019, 2020 or 2021 DHS prescribing report.

Providers can confirm their OPIP participation status by emailing dhs.opioid@state.mn.us.
Data privacy

Under Minnesota Statute 256B.0638, the opioid prescribing reports are confidential. DHS does not share provider reports with others, such as patients, journalists or licensing boards. DHS is authorized to share prescribers’ OPIP prescribing data with their affiliated health system or practice group, and notify health systems and practice groups who among their prescribers is required to participate in the quality improvement program. This occurs in conjunction with issuing the annual reports.